A few weeks ago, following the tragic rampage shooting in my old home town of Omaha, I got on Google Earth to try to get a handle on just where that shopping mall is, which turned out to be in an area that was undeveloped when I lived there many years ago.
While on the sight, I decided to check out the old neigborhood and discovered that it looks like the old MoPac line which ran north-south along Saddle Creek Rd has been abandoned. It used to run behind the Goodrich Dairy plant which also seems to have been replaced. There used to be a tressle across Saddle Creek but that looks like it is gone. Does anyone know when the UP abandoned this line. Just curious.
The old Omaha Belt line was abandoned sometime between about 1985 and 1993. although I don't know if anything was even running in 1985.
I spent a day "railfanning" the old line that ran from Union over to Weeping Water, then north through Louisville, Springfield and into Omaha. Everything north of the Platte River is gone.
Where the MoP crossed Dodge St., its now a Popeye's Chicken joint. The only thing left of the MoP through north O is the "scar" where the streets deadedn and there are some large cuts, all overgrown with bushes and now trees. Most of the old yard areas on the N side of downtown are gone. The old UP shops is the Qwest Center, a hotel and a lot of parking lots. The old UP mechanical offices area is a daycare center.
Dave H.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
dehusman wrote: The old Omaha Belt line was abandoned sometime between about 1985 and 1993. although I don't know if anything was even running in 1985.I spent a day "railfanning" the old line that ran from Union over to Weeping Water, then north through Louisville, Springfield and into Omaha. Everything north of the Platte River is gone.Where the MoP crossed Dodge St., its now a Popeye's Chicken joint. The only thing left of the MoP through north O is the "scar" where the streets deadedn and there are some large cuts, all overgrown with bushes and now trees. Most of the old yard areas on the N side of downtown are gone. The old UP shops is the Qwest Center, a hotel and a lot of parking lots. The old UP mechanical offices area is a daycare center. Dave H.
Thanks, Dave. I remember that crossing on Dodge St although my most vivid memory was the California St. crossing a few blocks north. Our family would often get stopped at that crossing on our way to Peony Park which I understand is now gone also (sniff). I remember most of the trains being pulled by strings of F-units in plain blue livery. That crossing was halfway up the hill from Saddle Creek Rd and ran behind the Goodrich Dairy plant before curving to the east to cross Saddle Creek Rd on a wooden tressel. It continued on to the northeast to cross Cummings and where it went from there I have no idea.